Snapping turtles are the raccoons of the turtle world. They are found in just about any type of aquatic habitat, even polluted ones. Their large bodies and powerful, hooked jaws deter most predators from messing with them. Like raccoons, snapping turtles eat just about anything they come across, even ducklings, snakes, and small turtles. Juvenile snapping turtles, with softer bodies and smaller jaws, are more vulnerable and thus more choosy about where they hang out. Many predators, including wading birds and larger snapping turtles, will eat them. The juveniles hide in clumps of aquatic plants, wrapping their extra-long tails around the stems to anchor themselves. Snapping turtles tend to prefer slow-moving water with lots of aquatic vegetation.

Turtles have no teeth. The most ancient turtle on Earth, Odontochelys, had teeth along the edge of its jaw like ours. But they disappeared during evolution. Modern turtles instead have a jaw covering made of keratin (fingernail material). Its shape varies, depending on diet. Herbivorous turtles, such as tortoises, have serrated jaw coverings for tearing plant material. The jaw coverings of carnivorous turtles, such as snappers, have sharp-edges for cutting. Turtles that have to crush food, such as musk turtles that eat clams, have broad-edged jaw coverings. Some turtles are highly specialized to eat a particular food, but most eat a variety of foods, and many change their diets as they mature. A common pattern is for young turtles to eat more meat, and older turtles to eat more vegetation.